Recent developments in the field of electronic devices, such as organic displays of the OLED type (Organic Light Emitting Display), and solar cells, such as OSC (Organic Solar Cells), have led to stricter requirements as to the removal of gaseous contaminants in the housings of these devices.
These devices are in fact very sensitive to the presence of gaseous contaminants, with particular reference to water and oxygen, which cause a progressive degradation of their performances. More information on the harmful effects of these contaminants may be found in article “Correlation between dark spot growth and pinhole size in organic light-emitting diodes” by Shuang Fang Lim et al., published in Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 78, Apr. 9, 2001, concerning OLED displays; and in the fifth chapter of the book “Organic Photovoltaics—Concepts and Realization” by Brabec et al., published in 2003 by Springer-Verlag, concerning solar cells of the OSC type.
The use of sorbers for the removal of gaseous impurities from the housings of devices sensitive to their presence is known. For instance, international patent application WO 2004/072604 in the applicant's name discloses the use of active components dispersed in suitable porous matrices, whereas international patent applications WO 2007/013118 and WO 2007/013119, both in the applicant's name, disclose nanostructured systems wherein the active component is restricted in a porous means, which is in turn dispersed in a polymeric matrix. The use of functionalized nucleuses dispersed in a permeable polymeric matrix is disclosed in international patent application WO 2007/074494.